Children&#39;s Garment

ABSTRACT

A garment for children or infants is disclosed. The garment includes a pair of arm sleeves attached to opposing sides of a torso portion that is configured to envelop the arms of a child, wherein the torso portion is configured to encircle a child&#39;s torso and includes a front panel that may be opened and closed along a longitudinal edge disposed at about the centerline of the torso portion. A pair of pant legs attached to the torso portion include a zipper chain that runs from the lower portion of a first pant leg up to the torso portion and back down a second pant leg of the pair of pant legs. A zipper slider is used to open and close the zipper chain. A protective fabric flap is secured on the interior portion of the garment along a first edge of the zipper chain and orientated to cover the zipper chain so that the child or infant&#39;s skin is protected from zipper teeth as the zipper chain is being opened and closed.

I. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/159,196 filed Mar. 11, 2009. The disclosure of the provisional application is incorporated herein by reference.

II. FIELD

The present disclosure is generally related to children's garments and more specifically to a novel garment to be worn by children or infants that allows a diaper to be changed more easily.

III. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

One-piece type garments have been used in the past to dress infants and children. Often the garment has long sleeves allowing the hands and fingers to be exposed but also having a closed portion around each foot. Prior art garments have a zipper or snaps that run from the neck line along the torso portion to one leg portion. When the garment is zipped closed, the zipper slider is proximate to the neckline. Accordingly, to open the garment to change a diaper, for example, the zipper slider is pulled all the way down to the foot portion so that the entire garment is opened. If the garment has snaps or buttons, then the snaps must be separated along the one leg portion and torso. However, the process of separating the snaps or unzipping the garment all the way open to change a diaper may disturb a sleeping infant or child. Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a children's garment that allows easy access to change a diaper without disturbing the infant or child.

Another need exists in the art for a garment for infants and children that allows access to both legs without opening a front torso portion of the garment to change the diaper.

It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed.

However, in view of the prior art at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the identified needs could be fulfilled.

IV. SUMMARY

In a particular embodiment, a children's garment is disclosed. The children's garment includes a pair of arm sleeves attached to opposing sides of a torso portion configured to envelop the arms of a child. The torso portion is configured to encircle a child's torso and includes a front panel that may be opened and closed along a longitudinal edge preferably disposed at about the centerline of the torso portion. The torso portion is attached to a pair of pant legs having a zipper chain that runs from the lower portion of a first pant leg up to the torso portion and back down a second pant leg of the pair of pant legs. A zipper slider is used to open and close the zipper chain. A protective fabric flap is secured on the interior portion of the garment along a first edge of the zipper chain and orientated to cover the zipper chain so that the child or infant's skin is protected from zipper teeth as the zipper chain is being opened and closed.

Other aspects, advantages, and features of the present disclosure will become apparent after review of the entire application, including the following sections: Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description, and the Claims.

V. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the children's garment in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an embodiment of the children's garment with the lower portion in an open position; and

FIG. 3 is a front view showing an embodiment of the children's garment with both the lower portion and upper portion in the open position.

VI. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, the children's garment is generally designated 100. The garment 100 includes a right arm sleeve 114 and a left arm sleeve 112 configured to fit a child's or infant's arms and disposed on opposing sides of a torso portion 115. A collar 113 is disposed proximate to an upper edge of the torso portion 115 and configured to fit around the child's neck. Proximate to a lower edge of the torso portion 115 is a right pant leg 118 and left pant leg 116 configured to fit the child's legs. A centerline edge 120 that divides a front panel of the torso portion 115 allows the torso portion 115 to be opened or closed. For example, snaps 122 may be used to removably secure each side of the front panel together. In alternative embodiments, hook and loop (i.e., Velcro), buttons, or other fastening means may be used. A zipper chain 124 is disposed along the right pant leg 118 and runs continuously up to the lower edge of the torso portion 115 to meet the centerline edge 120 and down along the left pant leg 116.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in operation to open zipper chain 124, a zipper slider 126 is pulled upwards from the right pant leg 118 to the torso portion 115 then downwards to the left pant leg 116 and away from the torso portion 115. Zipper teeth of a first portion 124A of the zipper chain 124 are disposed along a first edge of the zipper chain 124 and zipper teeth of a second portion 124B of the zipper chain 124 are disposed along a second edge of the zipper chain 124. To close the zipper chain 124, the slider 126 is pulled upwards from the left pant leg 116 to the torso portion 115 then downwards to the right pant leg 118. The garment 100 can be easily opened and separated to access the right pant leg 118 and left pant leg 116 to change a diaper, for example, while the torso portion 115 remains closed. An advantage of using a zipper rather than buttons or snaps is that a zipper is easy to operate in low light conditions as well as generally operating smoother. The garment 100 may also include a right foot portion 134 secured to the right pant leg 118 and adapted to fit a child's right foot and a left foot portion 132 secured to the left pant leg 116 and adapted to fit a child's left foot. As shown in FIG. 3, the torso portion 115 and collar 113 may be opened to remove the garment 100 from the child or infant.

Zipper tape 128 is secured to the interior surface of garment 100, wherein the zipper tape 128 includes the zipper chain 124 described above along its length. A protective fabric flap 130 is secured along the zipper tape 128 and is orientated to cover the zipper teeth 124A, 124B when the zipper chain 124 is being opened and closed using the slider 126 and to prevent skin contact with the child. In the preferred embodiment, the garment 100 is comprised of cotton material, synthetic material or other suitable material where the garment 100 is intended to be worn, washed and reused.

The illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various embodiments. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a complete description of all of the elements and features of apparatus and systems that utilize the structures or methods described herein. Many other embodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from the disclosure, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure and the figures are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any particular invention or inventive concept. Moreover, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangement designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the description.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.52(b) and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together or described in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may be directed to less than all of the features of any of the disclosed embodiments. Thus, the following claims are incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as defining separately claimed subject matter.

The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description. 

1. A children's garment, the garment comprising: a right pant leg and a left pant leg configured to fit a child's legs; a centerline edge divides a front panel of a torso portion to open and close the torso portion; and a zipper chain disposed along the right pant leg that runs continuously up to the lower edge of the torso portion to the centerline edge and down along the left pant leg.
 2. The children's garment of claim 1, wherein an interior of the children's garment is accessible when the zipper chain is open to change a diaper as a child is lying down on his or her back and without opening the torso portion.
 3. The children's garment of claim 2, wherein the centerline edge is stitched to meet the zipper chain.
 4. The children's garment of claim 3, further comprising zipper tape secured to an interior surface of the garment, wherein the zipper tape includes the zipper chain along its length.
 5. The children's garment of claim 4, further comprising a protective fabric flap secured along the zipper tape and is orientated to cover zipper teeth when the zipper chain is being opened and closed to prevent skin contact with the child.
 6. A children's garment, the garment comprising: a torso portion; a right arm sleeve and a left arm sleeve configured to fit a child's arms and disposed on opposing sides of the torso portion; a collar disposed proximate to an upper edge of the torso portion and configured to fit around a child's neck; a right pant leg and a left pant leg configured to fit a child's legs and proximate to a lower edge of the torso portion; a centerline edge divides a front panel of the torso portion to open and close the torso portion; and a zipper chain disposed along the right pant leg and runs continuously up to the lower edge of the torso portion to the centerline edge and down along the left pant leg.
 7. The children's garment of claim 6, further comprising snaps to removably secure each side of the front panel together.
 8. The children's garment of claim 6, further comprising hook and loop, buttons, or other fastening means.
 9. The children's garment of claim 6, further comprising: zipper teeth of the zipper chain disposed along a first edge and a second edge of the zipper chain.
 10. The children's garment of claim 6, wherein the garment is adapted to open and separate to provide access to the right pant leg and the left pant leg as the torso portion remains closed.
 11. The children's garment of claim 10, further comprising: a right foot portion secured to the right pant leg and adapted to fit a child's right foot; and a left foot portion secured to the left pant leg and adapted to fit a child's left foot.
 12. The children's garment of claim 11, further comprising: a zipper slider to open and close the zipper chain; and zipper tape secured to an interior surface of the garment, wherein the zipper tape includes the zipper chain along its length.
 13. The children's garment of claim 12 further comprising a protective fabric flap secured along the zipper tape and is orientated to cover the zipper teeth when the zipper chain is being opened and closed to prevent skin contact with the child.
 14. The children's garment of claim 13, wherein the children's garment is comprised of cotton material, synthetic material or other suitable material where the garment is intended to be worn, washed and reused. 